For those of us that were engaged in the original, this new game should be delightfully nostalgic. The game, again, is taken in in landscape, with dark colors taking precedence to give the game its core visual character. The main character looks shadowy in its black form, and the entire playing area looks believably futuristic, with plenty of smooth animated action that works in 2D. It’s easy to love the simulated parkour moves, and thesounds frame the gameplay well.

Think of this as a side-scrolling, platform adventure. The basic idea is to control the aforementioned silhouetted runner across an interestingly laid out running area, from right to left and hopefully all the way to the end of the level. Controlling the runner is done with the help of gestures, and these are fairly intuitive: swiping up initiates a jump, and swiping down invokes an evasive maneuver (like a slide); there are also times when one can swipe horizontally to create a burst of speed.

Now, navigating the running area is where the game creates the challenge. At the start of an episode, the runner begins to run, and continues to run forward continuously on his/her own. There are plenty of obstacles, and it takes a bit of care to get by them, as in knowing when to jump or slide or even stay pat. Jumping a pit early can create issues, as one can land in a bad area, and jumping needlessly can have negative effects too. The cool visuals take front and center; the runner will usually execute a parkour-ish move depending on the the type of obstacle presented.

The game allows for attributes and equipment to be upgraded using a dual system of game currency. Real cash can be used, but can be avoided with patience, as this one has an energy requirement.

Still, it is an enjoyable romp, and is capable of providing loads of entertainment.

In the interest of fair disclosure, I am a parkour fiend. There is just something cool about the free-running discipline, what with its athletic practitioners and the impromptu courses they bend to their will. I appreciate the skill used to make a hitherto immovable object a means of egress. If you’re not a fan, and don’t want to be, do NOT search for “parkour” on Youtube. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…

Vector is a side-scrolling running game based on the basics of parkour. It pitted me as an individual reluctant to conform to totalitarian regime in power, and with an understandable need to escape.

I started by picking a location… the first of three (Downtown) was opened b default. Each level had its own appropriately named sublevels, which had to be unlocked. Actual gameplay jumped directly into the storyline, with a built-in tutorial (which is always a big plus for me). I had the bad guys after me as I jumped out of a building. Using swipes, I had to conform to my environment to elude an equally skilled establishment thug intent on preventing my escape. While running, there were goodies to collect, and tricks to learn. Prior to the action starting, I was given a trick or two to pull off, which determined moving on to higher levels. Coins collected could be used to open special moves, as could real cash.

Finishing meant keeping him behind till the end of the level, and i was scored by combining time, bonuses and tricks landed. At best, I could get three starts, but just finishing successfully gave me the opportunity to move on to the next level, or redoing the level.

Graphically, it had an arcade feel to it, with minimalist imagery and relaxed music. It was a godd-feeling type of 2-D that worked well in the context of running from left to right.

Even though the monotone black colors of escapee and Big brother work, some more definition would be welcome. Also, some players would probably cherish faster gameplay. Despite these personal quibbles, I found Vector to be fun and refreshing, and quite hard to put down.